"Hey! Can you be a little more mindful of your actions?"

  Lu Ce quickly pulled back his leg as he watched Xie Antong, whose eyes were already gleaming, start to get a bit too familiar.

  He had just wanted to test the waters, considering his state in the game had been quite terrifying, and this leg had been amputated.

  But judging by her reaction, it seemed the girl hadn't coincidentally seen him in the Initial Game.

  "People are best at projecting their own experiences onto others. When you say I was chosen but chose to hide it, aren't you really talking about yourself?"

  Lu Ce didn't dwell on his own issue but instead shifted the topic to her.

  To his surprise, Xie Antong stared into his eyes for a moment and then seriously nodded.

  "Yes."

  Lu Ce: ?!

  Wait, you're just going to tell me like that?

  Xie Antong glanced around; their classmates were all chatting among themselves, and no one was paying attention to the two of them. She turned her head away from Lu Ce and continued in a low voice: "In a completely unknown world, as a 'minority,' it's quite normal to keep a low profile and first observe the world's situation."

  Suddenly, Xie Antong changed the subject: "So, are you planning to participate in the second game in two days?"

  Hearing this, Lu Ce's mouth twitched.

  So you're just assuming I'm a Chosen One too? I don't think I ever admitted that!

  Without waiting for a response, Xie Antong added, "No matter what you think, I suggest you don't participate! Just wait!

  The temptation to change your fate is huge, I know. If you have the chance, you wouldn't miss it.

  But, our country's internet regulation is very strong. To maintain stability during such upheaval, a lot of information and news hasn't been released.

  I was one of the first 'viewers.' Last night, after a brief shock, I made a complete record.

  I watched over a hundred game live streams, featuring all sorts of people facing different or similar scenarios.

  Some scenes were very brutal, things you won't find on the internet. Those trials defy any modern moral and legal standards."

  As she spoke, Xie Antong's face turned slightly pale, as if recalling some unpleasant memories.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  "I even saw a player actually die in that game!

  If the game is another world, with time and space continuous with the real world, as if players directly cross into it... Can they still survive?"

  Lu Ce: ......

  Xie Antong quietly stared at Lu Ce's profile, speaking seriously, making Lu Ce inexplicably feel a bit guilty.

  Because what she described, Lu Ce knew better than anyone in this world—he had experienced it firsthand!

  What he went through was the most brutal and bizarre trial in this world, with dangers and bloodshed he knew better than anyone.

  "......Thank you."

  Lu Ce could roughly guess why his wealthy desk mate was trying to get close to him.

  It was nothing more than a pampered young lady, curious after finding a poor boy in a new environment who was different from the simps she used to have around, who didn't flatter or care about her.

  What else could it be? Teenage girls are always about such things.

  But he still thanked her.

  A gentleman judges deeds, not intentions.

  "Sigh, I hope you think it over carefully." Xie Antong didn't know if Lu Ce had taken her words to heart, so she could only sigh and start scrolling through videos on her phone, checking the latest news.

  Outside in the corridor, people were coming and going, with some students leaving occasionally. Lu Ce even spotted the figure of a policeman.

  Online, there were all sorts of rumors, but as time passed, the credibility of much information became highly questionable.

  Many self-media outlets chasing traffic were going crazy, saying anything to grab attention. Some even claimed that people in the game had gained superpowers, with the strongest now able to crush nuclear bombs with their bare hands.

  Lu Ce: How come I didn't know I was this badass?

  His own judgment was that ordinary humans were no longer his match barehanded, but against firearms... he was still a dead man.

  He was still too weak, far from the point where personal strength could give him a sense of security...

  The first day of the world's upheaval passed just like that. On his way home alone, Lu Ce found a secluded spot and quietly stared at a wall.

  Using the knuckles of his right fist, he punched hard at the exposed corner of the wall.

  With a dull thud, the brick shattered, and several pieces fell off.

  Lu Ce punched with such force that a red blood mark instantly appeared on his fist.

  Even the skin on the edge of his knuckles was scraped, oozing a bit of blood.

  Looking at his fist, Lu Ce frowned slightly. He didn't feel any pain and didn't know what level of pain this should be, but the Chosen of Pain's point allocation mechanism didn't appear.

  "Is it that the pain level isn't enough, or is there some restriction..."

  This Chosen of Pain point allocation was his biggest reliance at the moment, allowing him to pass the Initial Game and temporarily secure the world's top rank.

  He needed to quickly figure out the mechanism of that thing; having a cheat and not knowing how to use it would be a joke.

  After trying a few more punches on the wall, the pain point allocation sound still didn't come, but a voice that annoyed him a bit did.

  "What? Depressed and taking it out on the wall?"

  "Do you have to do everything a brainless villain does to prove your stupidity?" Lu Ce punched the wall hard again, sending pieces of debris flying, and turned to look at Zhang Tao.

  Zhang Tao had enjoyed a whole day of special treatment, floating on air, fantasizing about his future life as a top dog, and now he could casually belittle the guy who once made him eat dirt.

  But Lu Ce's punch cooled his fiery heart a bit, and he taunted with a false bravado: "Late on purpose this morning, trying to make everyone think you were chosen?

  How many people worldwide have been chosen, really? Chosen's Paradise, you're an orphan, even your parents didn't choose you, and you think a god would?"

  Lu Ce had no intention of responding. He pried half a brick from the already broken wall with his bare hands and quietly walked toward Zhang Tao.

  "Did you forget what I told you when I beat you up before?"

  "What do you want to do?" Zhang Tao stepped back in fear, grabbing a bike lock from nearby.

  He had spent the whole day immersed in the world's changes, fantasizing about becoming a favored one overnight, gaining superpowers and such.

  He forgot that right now, he didn't have any superpowers! He couldn't beat the guy in front of him.

  "I'm telling you, our statuses are different now. I could kill you and not face any consequences. Don't come any closer, I'm telling you, my family has connections in the police department!"

  "What, your dad got caught for soliciting prostitution?" Lu Ce retorted expressionlessly, now standing in front of Zhang Tao.

  The two stared at each other, and all of Zhang's previous confidence vanished, leaving only fear.

  Since getting beaten up in high school, he hadn't dared to provoke Lu Ce actively, but he'd never been this scared before.

  Looking into Lu Ce's eyes, he felt his legs go weak. —The eyes of someone who's killed are different.

  "F*** you!" In extreme fear, Zhang Tao cursed to bolster his courage, swinging the bike lock wildly.

  Lu Ce had been in many fights since he was young. He casually blocked and knocked the bike lock away with his wrist.

  [Chosen of Pain! Pain Value +1!]

  "Hmm?"

  Lu Ce was momentarily stunned, hearing the long-lost voice in his mind, as if realizing something, his smile gradually turned twisted.

  "I think I understand a bit, thanks.

  By the way, you said you have connections in the police department, but do you have any in the hospital?

  No? No problem, you'll have some soon~"